A Matter of Trust and Motivations
by pipecleanerFlowers
Summary: Tala and Kai are slowly making their way to the finals of the World Tag-Team Championship, settling scores and proving their worth one match at a time. But is it really about the tournament, or is there something more? Set during G-Revolution. Drabbles.
1. Questionable Loyalty

**A/N: Hey all! So this is a new project I'm working on. Basically, it's just all the little moments or scenes that were never shown in the duration of the show. These drabbles and one-shots are what I imagine to have happened while the characters are off-screen.**

**Luckily for you, I have all of these already typed up and ready to go on my laptop, so there will be regular updates! Woot!  
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**This one takes place during episode 9 in G-Revolution.**

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><p>Spencer and Bryan didn't trust Kai. None of them did, really. But Tala had insisted that he be a part of their team. However, it was only if Kai wanted to be. The choice was all his.<p>

"We don't need him, Tala," Bryan spoke up during the plane ride to New York. "We're fine without him and we'll be fine without him in this tournament."

"So, you don't think he's of any interest to us? Or do you think he'll show you up?" Tala asked teasingly. "He's a good asset," he said, taking on a serious tone. "And I'm sure he wants the chance to face Tyson just like Ray and Max do. He'll take the offer, just you watch."

The plane ride passed without further discussion of Kai Hiwatari, but the tension was still there. He'd ditched the Abbey, then ditched them again after the Black Dranzer incident. Why would they ever want someone as unloyal as him? If he so easily left the Bladebreakers like Tala said he would, then what made it so different from leaving the Blitzkrieg Boys? Kai would only be on their team until he got what he wanted, and then he'd leave.

The Blitzkrieg Boys would turn into another one of his stepping stones.

"I don't care what he does with us, because we're using him too," Tala had said when they brought it up on the way to the airport. "It's a two-way deal, and he fully aware of it. I'd be surprised if he wasn't."

Spencer and Bryan didn't agree, but they wanted to get to the finals just as much as anyone else. So, when they finally landed in New York for the tournament kick-off, they figured that having Kai on the team couldn't be that bad.

It was only when they got off the plane that they found Kai, waiting for them in the arrivals area with news that he was no longer on Tyson's team, just like Tala said.


	2. Getting Ready, Getting Answers

**A/N: Hey all! This update is probably the fastest one I've ever done! Yay :D  
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**This one takes place during episode 10 in G-Revolution, after the confrontation in the hall and during Tyson's Battle Royale with White Tiger X and Daichi.  
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><p>The room was quiet, except for Tala and Kai who were winding up the gears on their beyblades. Spencer and Bryan had gone for a walk around the halls, since they weren't playing in the next match, so Tala and Kai were left alone to prepare in silence. It had been quite a few minutes since their teammates had left, and Tala vaguely wondered when they'd be back. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he finished winding up the gears. Kai was the same, hunched over, eyes shadowed by his thick fringe. His concentration seemed more like a determined meditation as he completely zoned out.<p>

"Tyson seemed pretty mad," Tala commented offhandedly.

He could see Kai blink out of whatever state he was in. A beat, then, "It's his problem, not mine."

Tala smirked. "Sure it is. So, you joined our team... why?"

"I already said why less than ten minutes ago. Is your attention span that short, Tala?" Kai sneered.

"Say it again," Tala requested, a small smile playing on his features. "I forgot how you put it."

Kai glared at the redhead, and if Tala didn't have a nasty glare of his own that he liked to use on occasion, he might have been fazed. "I said that I wouldn't be able to win with him on my team," Kai gritted out.

"And he was insulted," Tala prodded when Kai fell silent.

"Probably."

"Don't you mean definitely? You're not exactly one to sever ties with clean cuts."

Kai ignored him in favour of rubbing non-existent dirt off of Dranzer. A few silent moments later, he looked up to see Tala staring at the TV broadcast of the match. The volume was muted and the remote was held loosely in the redhead's hand.

_He must have just turned it on._

"Tyson's being cocky, he's never gonna win."

Kai's brow furrowed at the blunt statement, and he looked over to the broadcast. Tyson was about to lose in his battle royale with White Tiger X. Wait, no, that couldn't be right.

Tala smirked as he saw the expression on Kai's face change before going stony. "You want him at his best when you meet in the finals, don't you."

Kai growled. "Stop trying to get into my head."

"Who said I was trying?"

Kai didn't respond.


	3. Unexpected Contender

**A/N: This one takes place during episode 11 in G-Revolution just before Kai's battle. Tala's beybattle against Julia was never shown, so this is my take on how it might've gone down. Hope you enjoy :)  
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><p>"What are you waiting for, Tala? I heard you were gonna be tough to beat, but so far I'm playing you like a fiddle."<p>

Tala scowled. There was no way that circus girl was going to win. "Wolborg, show her what you've got!"

Julia only smiled playfully in return, her beyblade easily dodging any attack that was sent her way. "Oh no you don't! Thunder Pegasus, attack!" An onslaught of metal on metal and the grinding of their two attack rings assaulted their ears as Julia took control of the match. "That's right, keep knocking that piece of junk around! Look, it's losing speed already!" She laughed, obviously having fun with her prey.

She was right, Wolborg was struggling to keep going, and with each clash between their beyblades, it was losing power. That couldn't be right. It was an endurance type beyblade, it was supposed to withstand these types of power 'blades.

With a strategy finally formed, Tala smirked. "Wolborg, full power!" He could hear the gears start to spin faster, giving Wolborg a much needed boost, and soon he was the one taking Thunder Pegasus for a ride. "You're a goner, Julia," Tala said, a dangerous edge in his voice. "Wolborg, time for your Novae Rog!"

DJ Jazzman could barely be heard over the crowds cheers as Thunder Pegasus was knocked out of the dish in a matter of a few chilly seconds.

Tala caught Wolborg and turned away. "Better luck next time, clown."

Julia clenched her fists. "At least I have a day job, Tala!"

"Yeah, you spend so much time on that, so you barely know how to 'blade. I'm surprised you're even in this tournament with your skill level."

"Hey! I resent that!"

"Julia, calm down. I'm up next, maybe we can turn this around," her twin brother, Raul, interrupted.

Tala sat down, watching as Raul tried to make his sister and partner feel better. He was the weak link in their tag-team from what he could tell, so Kai would have no problem beating him.

"Who would've thought Tyson would play so poorly in the opening round?" Tala said as he sat back down, not bothering to mention his own match. He didn't want to talk about how close it had been.

Kai stood, face as indifferent as ever. "I don't care who wins or loses, I'm just doing what I have to do." He pulled Dranzer out, weighing it in his hand. Tala inwardly sighed. He was trying to distract him from the conversation they had earlier.

"So that's the mysterious new beyblade," Tala said, deciding to play along.

"Dranzer Gigs," Kai explained shortly. "No one can defeat it.

A smirk, then, "Seeing is believing, Kai."

_Maybe I was wrong. Maybe this isn't just about Tyson._ Tala frowned. _Well, whatever this is, he'd better show me what his new Dranzer can do._


	4. Easy Loss

**A/N: This one takes place during episode 13 in G-Revolution, chronicling the rather short match between Kai and Daichi  
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><p>Kai was called up to the dish by DJ Jazzman, but he didn't have the customary look of concentration decorating his face. Instead, it was only confusion.<p>

"Where's Tyson?" he muttered under his breath as he waited for Daichi to take his place.

The rest of his team was just as puzzled over Tyson's absence, but they didn't think too much of it. After all, his replacement was Kenny, and that almost guaranteed them a win. It would be an easy round, and that meant one step closer to the finals.

But Kai blew it.

As DJ Jazzman announced the win, Tala couldn't help but feel a little suspicious. _He did that on purpose. There's no way he could make such an amateur mistake._

The scene played in his head again, the subtle stare-down between Kai and Hiro being the only thing that really stood out. The non-verbal exchange seemed like a challenge. But Tala didn't have time to analyze Kai's motives. He had a match with Kenny.

Tala got up and made his way toward the dish, passing Kai on the way.

"What happened out there, Kai?"

"I have my reasons," Kai said, as if he expected Tala to ask. "Anyway, Tala, I'm sure you're going to win your match."

Tala smirked. "I guarantee I will."

_Especially because we'll have to win the tie-breaker now. Thanks a lot, Kai._


	5. A New Kind of Power

**A/N: This one takes place during episode 23 in G-Revolution, when Tala has that flashback while Kai is battling Ray. It's a kind of continuation of sorts of the events in the flashback :) Hope you enjoy and please review if you wish!  
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><p>"You know that huge rock not too far from here?"<p>

Spencer and Bryan looked up to see Tala walking into the room. "No, why?" Bryan asked.

Tala shook his head. "You guys have to see this."

Spencer and Bryan exchanged looks of confusion with one another before getting up. Once their big boots and winter coats were on, Tala led the way to the rock that had somehow sparked his interest.

A few minutes later, the three of them stood in front of what had once been a huge rock. Now it was just two pieces with no middle and a lot of confusion.

"What the hell...?" Bryan breathed out, carefully placing a gloved hand on the edge of the rock. "Who has the power to do this?"

Marks that could only be made from an attack ring were all over the rock, and Spencer traced one particularly deep gash with his hand. Tala merely watched as his two teammates were completely dumbfounded over the torture the rock had to have endured.

"Kai was out here earlier, during the blizzard. I think he was training," Tala told them.

"So then, this was Kai's doing?" Spencer asked.

They weren't sure whether they feared the power that Kai had harnessed in such a short period of time, or whether they were in awe of such a destructive force. The cuts were clean, and no rubble from the giant rock was to be seen anywhere. Even when they sifted through the snow to look for any remnants of dust, all they found was more snow.

"He grinded it into oblivion, and I don't know how he did it," Tala finally said.

Spencer put a hand to his chin. "He's grown far stronger than we imagined he would during this tournament."

"He's got something to prove... but what?" Bryan asked.

Tala smirked. "Now that's a question I may have the answer to."

He started off back to their base, leaving Spencer and Bryan to puzzle over the destroyed rock. If their teammate really possessed that much power, then seeing him against Ray might be a real treat. And they happened to have the best seats in the house to see it in action.


	6. Close Calls

**A/N: This one takes place during episode 23 in G-Revolution. Just a simple insight narrative on Tala's battle with Lee, and an overview of Kai's battle with Ray.  
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><p>Beating Lee had been easy. He'd been inconsistent in his 'blading throughout the tournament, sometimes winning with the utmost of ease, and other times losing all confidence in his skills. However, when White Tiger X finally faced off against the Blitzkrieg Boys, Lee was close to the top of his game. Tala guessed that it had something to do with his teammates, who were all incessantly cheering him on throughout the battle. It was annoying and distracting for Tala to hear, while all he got was silence on his side of the stadium. Tala never had that kind of backing before, but he was almost certain that it acted as some kind of morale or confidence booster. He shook his head, concentrating on Wolborg. He didn't need anyone backing him up. Tala knew he was good, reminders were only good for ego-boosting.<p>

So when Lee was actually doing some damage, Tala had been surprised. It had caught him completely off guard. He'd almost lost, and it had been much too close a call.

But he didn't lose. No, Tala had won, bringing back one half of a victory that Kai only needed to secure in the next round.

And during Kai's battle with Ray, all of the Blitzkrieg Boys had been on their toes. Of course, they hadn't gotten out of their seats to do so, and the only telltale sign of their concern was in their guarded expressions, but it had been worrying to say the least.

What if he lost? No, Kai wouldn't lose. Kai never lost a battle before, especially not one that was worth this much.

And he didn't lose either.


	7. Watch Out

**A/N: This one takes place during episode 23 in G-Revolution, right after Kai's battle with Ray. It's a summary of sorts on what Kai's thoughts are while he's leaving the stadium. Sorry it's so short, but remember, these are drabbles!  
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><p>Kai left the dish, walking down the steps. The match had exhausted him of all his energy, but it had been worth it. He won. He was ready now. He passed his teammates who were congratulating him, but he ignored them. When he was sufficiently out of sight, he leaned against the wall, still out of breath from the match.<p>

It had been a close one, much too close for his liking, but he was glad. Ray hadn't lost his touch, and they'd both gotten better throughout the tournament. Everyone had. And now he knew. Clenching Dranzer between his gloved fingers, Kai smiled weakly. _I'm ready for you now, Tyson._

He continued stumbling down the walkway, holding the wall for support.

_You better watch out, Tyson._


	8. Independence, Codependence

**A/N: This one takes place during episode 23 in G-Revolution, right after Kai's battle with Ray, showing Tala's thoughts after the match.  
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><p>Tala watched as Kai exited the stadium. <em>He makes it look too easy, <em>he thought as their teammates exchanged looks of confusion.

The redhead looked toward the White Tiger X team, who were all helping Ray down the steps and out of the stadium. How could they have such a great team dynamic? They were always there for each other, backing each other up and cheering each other on. Of course the Blitzkrieg Boys were worried when the dish was blasted apart from Ray's attack, but they hadn't been vocal about it.

White Tiger X had lost, and yet they were smiling and laughing as if they had won. It annoyed Tala to no end, and he momentarily forgot his frustration at Kai while he wondered why their team wasn't the same way.

They had always been independent from one another, worrying more about themselves. Tala knew his teammates could take care of themselves in a pinch, but the thought of having someone there anyway, no matter what the circumstances were, was alien to him.

_Was it the Abbey?_

Tala shook his head. There was no time to think about that. Now that they knew they were shoe-in for the Finals, there were more important things to worry about, like that runt Daichi. How dare he beat him in Rome.

"Let's go," he said, starting to leave as the next match was being announced. "We have work to do."


	9. Plans for a Rematch

**A/N: This one takes place during episode 24 in G-Revolution, right before Daichi's match with Rick.  
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><p>When Tala returned to his seat to watch the next match, Bryan had asked him where he'd been. After a few evasive answers, the questions stopped, and they fell silent. The crowd around them was stoked for the next match, pitting Daichi against Rick. There were only five more minutes until the match was to start, and Tala only hoped that Daichi could remember their deal longer than that. Otherwise, he'd never get even with the kid.<p>

"So, where were you then?" Kai asked when Bryan and Spencer weren't paying attention.

"I already told you, I was in the bathroom."

"Took you long enough."

"Got caught up."

"Looking for someone?"

Tala grew flustered and Kai smirked. Yeah, that was the ticket.

"That's none of your business."

"I beat him without even trying during the preliminary rounds."

"Show-off," Tala grumbled.

Kai smirked. Daichi was definitely on his mind. After all, he wouldn't have known who he was talking about otherwise.


	10. Stressful

**A/N: This one takes place during episode 24 in G-Revolution, after Daichi's match with Rick.  
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><p>Daichi's battle with Rick had been stressful for more reasons than Tala would have liked to share. But, as always, Kai had gotten him to admit it: Tala was looking for a rematch.<p>

After the match was over and both Daichi and Tyson had won their respective battles, Tala breathed a sigh of relief. Kai had only given him an odd but understanding look at the time. It wasn't until the team had gotten back to the hotel that Kai mentioned anything verbally.

"So, it's down to you and Daichi. You're planning on starting, right?"

Tala gave him a withering look. "I'm team captain, I'm the one who decides, Kai."

"Yeah, but you obviously have a thing against the kid."

Tala scowled. "Yeah, I'm gonna start. You can have Tyson, I've already faced him and I'd rather not do it again."

Kai didn't bother telling him that his logic was severely flawed.


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